Heartbreak for Fans: Messi Announces Retirement from Argentina National Team

Lionel Messi officially announced his retirement from international football, describing it as the “saddest day of my career” after leading Argentina to a decisive 3-0 victory over Benin in his final match. The 39-year-old maestro showcased his enduring brilliance by scoring one goal and providing two assists at the Monumental Stadium on Tuesday, before an emotional address to over 80,000 adoring supporters, marking the conclusion of an extraordinary 21-year international journey.

Addressing the massive crowd, Messi expressed immense pride in representing his country. “It was a huge source of pride for me to defend this jersey for more than 20 years,” he stated. He emphasized his unwavering commitment, saying, “Even in the worst moments we went through and that I had, I never stopped fighting, never stopped being here.” The thought of no longer playing for the national team was deeply painful for him, as he confessed, “I swear I’d like to play for the rest of my life, because playing for the Argentina national team is the most beautiful thing that can happen to you.”

The return to the Monumental Stadium for his farewell, after leading Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title, was a bittersweet experience for Messi. He acknowledged the profound sadness of the occasion, telling the fans, “Now I’m here on the saddest day of my career, which is the day I have to say goodbye to the national team, goodbye to all of you.” However, he vowed to remain a supporter, adding, “But now I’ll be on that side, with the fans, supporting all the boys, everyone who comes in. Always united.”

Despite the palpable emotion, Messi affirmed that he had no regrets regarding the timing of his decision. He highlighted the immense physical and emotional demands of Argentina’s campaign at the most recent World Cup, where the defending champions reached the final before ultimately losing to Spain. Messi specifically recalled the arduous 2-1 semi-final victory against England, noting the significant toll the tournament exacted on the squad. “Even though I want to be here all my life, I feel that this is the moment. The last World Cup was too much, everything I had to live through,” he explained. He spoke of the shared dream of becoming world champions again, dismissing any anomalies around their World Cup performance by saying, “The reality is that nothing strange happened, as people say. The match against England took a huge toll on us physically, and emotionally it was very big.” Adding to his emotional burden over the past year was the death of his father and agent, Jorge, in August.

Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni offered a heartfelt tribute to his departing captain, asserting that no player could ever rival Messi’s unparalleled ability. “He is unique,” Scaloni declared, reminiscing about the year he played alongside Messi during his own international career. “I have never seen such a set of skills in any other player in all my life.” Scaloni, visibly moved during the national anthem, admitted that coaching Messi had surpassed all his wildest imaginations. “I owe him a debt of eternal gratitude, for everything he gave to us,” he said. He openly shared his sentiment: “I told him in front of everybody, with the little energy that I still had: never in my life did I imagine I would coach the best footballer in history.”

Looking ahead, Scaloni acknowledged the imperative for Argentina to prepare for a future without their iconic talisman, but he stressed that Messi’s profound influence would forever shape the national team. “He leaves an unbelievable legacy,” Scaloni stated, emphasizing the path forward: “The only way to make up for his leaving is to have a great team, which means everyone brings something to contribute to the building of it.”